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12 Questions with Michael Waltrip

Our series of weekly NASCAR driver interviews continues with Michael Waltrip, who will drive an Alabama Crimson Tide paint scheme on his No. 55 Aaron's-sponsored car this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

Our series of weekly NASCAR driver interviews continues with Michael Waltrip, who will drive with an Alabama Crimson Tide paint scheme on his No. 55 Aaron's-sponsored car this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. The Michael Waltrip Racing team owner had a shot to win last fall's Talladega race until an ill-timed block from Tony Stewart triggered a large wreck.

Q: From what you've seen, whose driving style is most similar to yours?

A: I liked unique setups. Like when we started coil-binding springs or running soft springs, those things really felt good to me. There was a window there — especially in the early 2000s when I had all that stuff — when I could win Nationwide races and Cup races. Then along came 2007 with the new rules (in relation to the Car of Tomorrow), and I couldn't ever get used to it.

That's a little bit of background, but back when I was a kid, I always appreciated the way my brother (Darrell) raced. He just was a smart racer. So I tried to be that. And if you think of who is a smart racer now, I think of Tony Stewart. I think he's one of the most talented drivers in the world, so he wouldn't compare himself to me — but if I could compare myself to him, I just like the way he uses his head in races.

Q: Do you collect any of your own memorabilia, such as helmets, firesuits and diecasts?

A: Yeah, I've got a lot. Right now, I live in an apartment above a pizza joint, so there's not really a lot of extra room for displaying things. At the race shop, people can see some of my memorabilia. But I've collected those types of items — diecast cars and even cars that I've raced. I have one of the first 2007 Toyotas that we started racing at Michael Waltrip Racing.

I love it. I love the sport, I love getting other drivers' helmets and collecting some of the things that are special to me. You know, it's funny: Over my career, I didn't win as much as I hoped, but I can look like Flavor Flav if I want to put on all my rings that I've won for different reasons. And there are some really special trophies that mean a lot to me.

How often do you wear the rings out in public?

Never.

Not even on a date? Like, "Hey, check these out!"

No, no. They're not even displayed. They're just in my safe. Maybe one day I'll figure out how to try to put all that stuff together. But now that it's over almost and you're looking back, you really appreciate those moments.

Q: What percent of success in NASCAR has to do with the car, what percent is the driver and what percent is luck?

A: My opinion on that is you have to have a great car to be good. And there are a lot of people who have great cars. But there are only a few guys who can take that great car and be great. So no one is going to be any good without a good car.

Therefore, if we're talking about just being good, it's 70% car, 30% driver. But if we're talking about being great and we're talking about doing the things special athletes do — like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, my brother — then it's probably 70-30 the other way.

It takes a good car for anybody to be good, but it takes a good car and a special driver to achieve greatness.

And I don't believe in luck. Like I didn't win a lot of races for awhile, and it's because I didn't put myself in position to win enough of them. There were times when I had a couple of them won, and something went wrong. But more often than not, I just wasn't in position to win.

Q: What person outside your family has done the most for your racing career?

A: Probably Dale Earnhardt. You know, he believed in me and he thought I could win. If what led up to 2001 hadn't happened — when Napa sponsored me and I drove for Dale because that was what Dale wanted — I don't think I would be sitting here today owning a team and having accomplished what I did. So it's definitely Dale Earnhardt.

Q: You come into contact with so many people every weekend — your team, sponsors, media, fans — and all of them want pieces of your time. How do you decide how to divide up that time?

A: Well, on race day, my TV commitments (to FOX) get the most part of my time. Whatever is required for that is what's prioritized. Then we work in everything else — appearances or visiting with sponsors or being in team meetings — around that.

From Monday until race day, sponsors get priority. So if Napa needs me in Atlanta or Aaron's needs me in Mississippi or if Martin (Truex Jr.) can't go or Mark Martin can't go, I'll go. I want my sponsors to know I'm there for them. I'm a single guy and it's easy for me to go places that sometimes others can't get to.

Aside from that, it's team meetings and running MWR. There's sometimes you want to go race a dirt car somewhere, but there just isn't time to do that. So anything that's fun usually takes a backseat to whatever my commitments are.

But I'm not complaining, because when I have time, I do have the opportunity to race a dirt car or goof off. And I try to take advantage of those.

Q: I always hear fans say to drivers, "Hey, remember me from an autograph session three years ago?" So it's clear many want to be remembered. If a fan wants to be remembered by you, what is something he or she could do to achieve that?

A: Loyalty, I think. There are fans I have who have been there for many, many years. I have a group of fans called the Wal-Nutz — you see faces and you're like, "You're a Wal-Nut. You've really supported me when I didn't win and when I had trouble. You've been there." So you just appreciate that. You appreciate a face where you say, "Wow, you've been my fan for a long time." So loyalty is the main thing.

Q: The last guy you wrecked — did you do it on purpose?

A: Um, yes. Because he kept running into me and I finally got tired of it.

In the history of my career, I never was good at that. I think if you take me to Daytona and Talladega, I am great — but if you take me everywhere else, I'm just good. I won the All-Star Race and some really cool Nationwide races and so I was really good, but a great driver is someone who can knock somebody out of the way and keep going. I never was good at that. I was like, "Oh, I don't want to hit him!" It wasn't my style.

Q: Who is a driver you used to clash with, but now you've made up and get along well?

Really? I've been waiting for someone to say that all year, but you're the first one so far.

No doubt. To me, all the rest of them don't capture what it's all about. Talladega Nights wasn't trying to do that — it was just a comedy that's hilarious, based on NASCAR. If you can't laugh at yourself, then I think you've probably got some issues. I love laughing at myself and I love that movie.

Hopefully the best racing movie ever to come out will be mine.

Oh yeah? What's up with that?

We're working on a movie based on my book (In the Blink of an Eye) with Sony Pictures.

Is there a timetable for that?

No. We're about done with the screenplay, and then we have to hand it to the studio and get them to make it.

Q: What's your song of the moment right now? Like a song you just can't get enough of.

A: Miranda Lambert's song called...hmm. (Starts singing to come up with the title) Go and fix your makeup, girl, it's just a breakup. ... This ain't your momma's broken heart.

That's it! Mama's Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert. I like the video, I like how she acts in the video. It makes me happy. That sounds a little bit feminine, but it does.

Q: Define yourself without NASCAR. Who are you outside of the racing stuff?

A: Well, I'm old. I'm turning 50 this week (on April 30).

Is that scary?

No. It doesn't bother me. Like I ran that half-marathon in February. I just think I'm someone who is pretty happy with themselves and pretty content where they are in life. I want to share my happiness and hopefully enrich people's lives that I come into contact with.

And I want to stomp out road rage. People just need to calm down.

Q: I've been asking each driver to give me a question for the next interview. Last week was Johanna Long and she wanted to know: "What is your biggest pet peeve on race day?"

A: Well, as the commercial says, "Confidence is very sexy." The thing that used to drive me nuts was the uncertainty of whether I was going to be competitive or not. That's not a pet peeve necessarily, but if I woke up on race day and knew I was going to run good, you couldn't piss me off. I wouldn't have any pet peeves if I was confident in how my car was.

But unfortunately, I didn't win a lot of races and so then about the opposite happened: Just about anything would get on my nerves. So you know that question we just talked about before, about how I'm happy where I'm at now? That's because I don't have to deal with that anymore. (Laughs)

When I go to the Daytona 500 or to Talladega, I know I'm going to run good and I know I'm going to figure out how to get to the front. So I just walk around happy, knowing that I get to race.

That's probably the thing I'm most thankful for today: I'm not retired, I still have a race or two to look forward to. I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to pull this off, but it's been pretty fun lately.

Q: And can you help me with a question for the next person?

A: Yes. How about, "What's your most special moment in NASCAR? What's your favorite moment out of everything you've ever done?" It might have been a first, it might have been a last, it might have been a second-place finish that was special.

Anytime someone asks me that, it drives me crazy because I've got so many. My answer would be when I stood in Victory Lane at Daytona in 2011.

Oh, 2011?

Yeah, the Truck race. The most special moment was winning that race and being at a point where you could look around and say, "This might not ever happen again. This is amazing." So I just hope people realize this stuff isn't going to last forever. When I won my last Cup race in '03, I thought, "Surely, I'm going to win more of these." And then I didn't.

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MICHAEL WALTRIP'S THREE FAVORITE APPS

-- Twitter

-- Instagram

-- Vine. I'm really getting into Vine, but I'm not there yet. I'd like to make some cool videos.

Those are all social media, so I don't know. What would be three apps I should download?